Virginia vs. Maryland Prediction & Odds
Number nine seed West Virginia and #8 seed Maryland head to Birmingham to face each other at 12:15 PM ET Thursday afternoon on CBS in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Can the Terrapins cover the 2.5-point spread as neutral-site underdogs?
West Virginia is 19-14 on the year with their best wins coming over TCU and Kansas State. Their worst losses came against Oklahoma and Texas Tech. The Mountaineers are 17-16 against the spread this season.
Maryland is 21-12 this season with their best wins coming over Purdue and Indiana. Their worst losses came against Nebraska and Ohio State. The Terrapins are 21-12 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
747 West Virginia Mountaineers (-2.5) vs. 748 Maryland Terrapins (+2.5); O/U 138
12:15 PM ET, Thursday, March 16, 2023
Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL
West Virginia vs. Maryland Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Mountaineers in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 68% of public bets are on West Virginia -2.5. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
West Virginia Game Notes
West Virginia’s leading scorer is senior guard Erik Stevenson. The 6’4” South Carolina transfer is averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1 steal, and 2.5 made three-pointers per game for the Mountaineers this season. Stevenson has scored at least 13 points in 7 straight games and may need to hit that number again for West Virginia to win and cover the spread on Thursday.
Maryland Game Notes
Maryland’s leading scorer is 6’1” senior guard Jahmir Young. Young is pouring in 16.1 points per game for the Terps this year. He also leads the club in assists with 3.2 per game and is first in steals with 1.3 per game. Jahmir Young struggled in the Big Ten tournament, as he only made 6 of 28 field goal attempts against Minnesota and Indiana. He’ll likely have to be more efficient for Maryland to cover this game on Thursday.
West Virginia vs. Maryland CBB Betting Trends
West Virginia is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Thursday games.
Maryland is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.
Maryland is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
Maryland is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games overall.
West Virginia vs. Maryland CBB Prediction:
Maryland has been good at stopping against-the-spread losing streaks this season. The Terps are 5-1 against the spread in their last 6 games following an against-the-spread loss. Maryland has also had success against winning teams this year. The Terrapins are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games against a team with a winning straight-up record. One final stat stuck out to me in my research: defensive efficiency. Maryland is 59th in the country in defensive efficiency, while West Virginia ranks 138th in the nation in that same metric. In a tournament atmosphere, defense becomes all the more important, and I think the Terrapins’ lockdown D spurs them to an against-the-spread victory.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: MARYLAND TERRAPINS +2.5
